Majrooh Sultanpuri

Quick Facts

• Born: October 1, 1919; Sultanpur, United Provinces, British India
• Died: May 24, 2000; Mumbai, India
• Pen Name: Majrooh Sultanpuri
• Full Name: Asrar ul Hassan Khan
• Notable Awards: Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1993), Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist (1965)
• Profession: Poet, Lyricist
• Languages Known: Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Persian
• Spouse: Amina
• Children: Five, including Tabrez Khan (musician)
• Known For: Bollywood lyrics, progressive poetry, Urdu ghazals

Majrooh Sultanpuri was one of the most iconic lyricists in Indian cinema and a respected figure in Urdu poetry. His journey began far from the film world, in a town called Sultanpur, where he was born in 1919 into a traditional Muslim family.

He trained to become a Unani doctor but poetry always pulled him in a different direction. His early ghazals earned attention at mushairas, where audiences were drawn to his beautiful language and rhythm. It was at one of these gatherings in Bombay that filmmaker A.R. Kardar noticed him and introduced him to music director Naushad.

Majrooh’s first break came with the film Shahjehan in 1946. After that, there was no looking back. He wrote songs for hundreds of films, working with every major composer of the time. Whether it was romantic, playful, philosophical, or patriotic, his words always carried clarity and soul.

Songs like Chura Liya Hai Tumne, Papa Kehte Hain, and Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe are still remembered. But beyond cinema, Majrooh was a serious poet involved in the Progressive Writers' Movement. He believed poetry should raise its voice against injustice and inequality. In 1949, he was imprisoned for a year for writing verses critical of the government.

Despite the fame and glamour of the film world, Majrooh never let go of his literary roots. He continued publishing poetry, attending mushairas, and engaging with serious readers. His writing kept evolving with time, but it always stayed true to his values.

He was married to Amina and had five children. His son, Tabrez Khan, followed a creative path as a musician. Majrooh continued writing lyrics well into the 1990s, remaining relevant across decades and generations.

He passed away in 2000 at the age of 80. Even today, his words are sung with joy, quoted in love, and remembered with respect.

Majrooh Sultanpuri proved that a poet’s heart can live both in literature and on the silver screen, without ever losing its truth.